Gun can’t defeat a sincere sentiment: Geelani

Chairman Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani on Friday said the repeated statements by army and police have “confirmed our stand that Jammu and Kashmir is a police state governed and managed by men in uniform”.

In a statement, Geelani said army and police often make announcements “beyond their professional domain”.

Commenting on the recent statement of Army chief, Geelani said termed it “arrogant, egoistic and expression of brute mindset based on military might”. He said these top ranked soldiers of India forget the historical facts that peaceful and sincere sentiment of a nation can never die down under the barrel of gun.

“It should be more than clear to these rulers that our movement is not a campaign for any emoluments, perks or privileges, nor is it to make a way to the power corridors. It is a mass movement representing the uprising against the unrealistic, undemocratic and unjustified occupation by India. It is a natural and realistic movement nourished by the blood and honour of our people. And any such movement is deemed to reach to its logical conclusion, no matter how and when,” Geelani said.

He added, “Indian rulers always promoted and pampered their stooges to act as their henchmen. It is a fact that 10 lakh army with latest weaponry and technological update cannot be defeated by a few youth with minimum and little ammunition, but it is also a fact that this military might has been kept engaged by these few people for the last 30 years and the Indian army is so afraid of these boys that they have to hide behind the human shield while encountering them.”

Hurriyat chairman said “as a nation we can’t even think of surrender or submission; we would prefer to vanish but never accept and legitimise the forceful occupation”.

Suggesting the Army chief to go through the pages of history, Geelani said that British army also threatened Indians when they were holding the reins of power in India. He said American sarcastically said the same to Vietnamese and in recent past, Russians also tried to hold the territory of Afghanistan with same rhetoric, but history stands testimony to the fact that all these “arrogant occupiers” were dashed to ground along with their military and weaponry might.

“We pray and hope that our oppressor and occupier meet the same fate if it prolongs our slavery and encourages brutalities and iron fist as the only remedy,” Geelani said.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat condemned the “arbitrary” restrictions in Srinagar and lockdown of central Jamia Masjid which it said is aimed at weakening the centrality and significance of the grand mosque.